TOP STORIES #80

Another busy week!

Under the Movie Section Going forward, I'll be including Private and Public School Holidays and upcoming Public holidays.

Just as IFA comes to an end, the next big show opens - IBC which is aimed at the production industry, but still no shortage of amazing technology to admire! Of course with IBC, Adobe announced that new tools and features would be introduced in After Effects and Premier Pro and here is more to read....

And, of course, there is no way you could have missed the Apple iPhone 16 launch.

To me the most impressive product launched by Apple was the AirPod 4 along with FDA announcing that the AirPod Pro 2 qualifies as OTC hearing aids. Tip: get AirPods with the ANC feature.

If you would like to invite colleagues to join this email list, they can click here.

The link to Last Week's TOP STORIES #79 is here.

Did You Know?

Ensuring your car does not Blow off Steam!

MAHLE is a major supplier of radiators to leading automotive brands.

First Digital, a First Technology group company, revolutionised quality assurance for MAHLE. First Digital developed an IoT solution integrated with SAP, that ensures every tested part is correctly labeled as passed. To learn more, watch the video here.

First Digital successfully assisted MAHLE to eliminate errors thereby reducing the chance of shipping leaky radiators globally.

So, like MAHLE, if you suspect you may have gaps in your manufacturing process that allow for human error to allow parts that should have failed a test to slip through, First Digital has the practical experience to see if they can improve your processes.

If you would like to explore IoT solutions and other services from First Digital please contact your First Tech Account manager to arrange a session with First Digital.

Next up.... A new "Did you Know" will be in TOP STORIES #82

Hardware

Oracle goes Nuclear

It seems Oracle is ready to go ahead with 1 GigaWatt of nuclear-based power generation for its new data centers. It will still take a while before we see the first one actually operating, but it has started—the data center giants of the world are going all out to build their own power stations. I wonder where this leaves us in SA? You can read more here.

Edge Computing is here to stay.

This refers back to the IoT solution explained in "Did you Know" that the entire solution was built and implemented "in situ"—you cannot depend on cloud connectivity to tell you on time every time whether the radiator you're testing has a leak or not!

Directions on Microsoft has published a very interesting article about the importance of on-premise computing systems that are only occasionally connected to the cloud, if at all. The article uses the IT systems of a modern cruise ship as an example of the importance of not being connected to the cloud and being able to function. It is suggested that Microsoft is focusing on edge computing systems more strategically than we may think.

Microsoft

Office 2024 Released October

If you are wanting to buy perpetual on Prem licenses, try to hold off - Office 2024 is available soon. You can read more here.

Please contact your First Technology licensing specialist to ensure you are exploring all options when buying new licenses, especially perpetual licenses.

Security

Critical Flaws stopped by Patch Tuesday

Again, Microsoft has released several patches for some pretty serious vulnerabilities—SEVEN rated as critical—so patching your computer ASAP is REALLY important. You can read more about the really serious vulnerabilities here. You can read more about one of the Critical Windows 10 vulnerabilities here. It's an easy attack over the internet - not good at all, so MAKE SURE YOU ARE PATCHED!!!!

Please talk to your First Technology Account manager to connect you with our security specialists who are probably the most expert and certified in the country to review your security posture and limit your attack surface as much as possible, as well as conducting world-class PenTests.

Cloud & AI

It's Strawberry time

OpenAI has released a preview of o1 (Strawberry) for Plus Subscribers. o1 is supposed to be capable of advanced reasoning, and initial reviews are already reporting that it is meeting expectations, but is not about to achieve AGI just yet. You can read a detailed article that demonstrates Strawberry in action where it is given a difficult crossword to solve.

What is clear is that progress towards AGI is not slowing down, and we need to prepare our corporate systems and historical data to be accessed by AI. It is so important to get started as the journey could end up being quite complicated, but you will only know if you get started. For example Microsoft has just announced 2 new security features for AI that need to be activated and tested.

Please Contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our AI and security specialists to start this journey, if you have not already started,

What's up at FTG

BUI builds Security Solution to enable client to grow internationally

BUI, First Technology Group award-winning security division, played a crucial role in helping Omniscient expand globally by providing expert support in cloud architecture and data security.

By leveraging Microsoft's Azure platform, BUI enabled Omnisient to scale rapidly while ensuring compliance with international data privacy regulations.

The partnership not only helped Omnisient streamline operations but also set them up for future growth and success on a global scale. This collaboration showcases BUI’s dedication to empowering businesses with leading technology solutions.

CoPilot Security Demo

BUI, FTG's security division, is now able to present CoPilot for Security information-sharing sessions, workshops and demos. Please contact your First Tech Group account manager to make arrangements to attend, or you can request a session here.

Exclusive Dynamics 365 & CoPilot Demo

CRMTeam, a division of First Technology Group is excited to invite you to an exclusive Microsoft event focused on the transformative power of Dynamics 365 and Copilot.

This is a unique opportunity to see how these leading solutions can streamline your business processes and drive success.

Where: Johannesburg - Microsoft Corporate Hill Office Park, 3012 Winnie Mandela Dr.

When: 19 September 2024

RSVP By: 6 September 2024

BUI Cyber Research finds another Zero Day vulnerability in Teams

The Cyber Security and Azure Expert division for FTG has found another vulnerability, which they have published the details of here.

Please contact your First Technology account manager, who will connect you with our experts to help you determine whether you need help to check whether you are vulnerable and, if so, what you can do to protect yourself.

What does a World Class SoC look like and how does it work?

You are invited to book a tour of one of our SoC (Security Operations Center) nodes (and there are still parts we can't show you). You can book for the tour here.

BUI blog - 3rd Video Available

FTG's Azure and security division, BUI, has launched a blog focused on Security—what's new, what changed, and what you need to do to maintain a good security posture. This one, however, is about a game that Dirk learnt about while attending Black Hat in Vegas.

All BUI videos have been moved to one YouTube channel, which you can find here.

The Security Blog Video #003 is now available to view here.

This video introduces you to KC7 - a Cyberdetective game!: